Hidden in Sunday's boxes (Cardinals are perched)

[caption id="attachment_97443" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="jansen"][/caption]Rafael Furcal's eighth-inning home run gave St. Louis a 3-2 victory over the Cubs that boosted the Cardinals to within a game of Atlanta in the tightening N.L. wild-card race. St. Louis plays three at Houston, the team with the worst record in baseball, and Atlanta plays host to Philadelphia, the team with the best.

Ross Detwiler moved down the last 15 Braves in order in Washington's 4-0 victory. Atlanta scored one run in 18 innings Saturday and Sunday. Detwiler has pitched 15 consecutive scoreless innings for the Nationals.

Jordan Walden might have been the last reliever to go off the plank Sunday for the Angels but he wasn't the only one. Three relievers - Bobby Cassevah, Scott Downs and Walden - were charged for four runs and gave up eight innngs in two innings in the Angels' lethal 6-5 come from ahead loss to Oakland.

Joel Pineiro pitched 6 and 1/3 shutout innings for the Angels but it should be noted that his last pair of consecutive quality starts was on July 4 and 9.

The first pitch of the Yankees-Boston doubleheader happened at 1:11 p.m. and the final pitch of the second game was at 11:43 p.m. Jacoby Ellsbury hit three home runs, including the go-ahead homer in the 14th off Scott Proctor, to give the Red Sox a 7-4 victory, a split, and a 1-game lead over Tampa Bay in the wild-card.

Boston goes to Baltimore for three, and the Rays play host to the Yankees.

Ellsbury became the first player in Bosox history to get 30 home runs and 30 steals. The leadoff man also drove in his 100th run.

Hidden underneath the exploits of Matt Kemp and Clayton Kershaw, the Dodgers' Kenley Jansen has struck out 34 in his past 17 innings and is averaging 16.1 strikeouts per nine innings.

Baltimore's Vladimir Guerrero has 2,586 hits, tied with Julio Franco for high among all Dominican natives.

Detroit's Victor Martinez, whom the Red Sox let go as a free agent, has 101 runs driven in on only 12 home runs.

Derek Jeter passed the 3,000 hit mark on July 9. Since then he is hitting .347.

Ryan Braun, bidding to become the first Brewer to win a batting title, leads the N.L. at .333 after two hits and a home run.

The Rays beat Toronto, 5-2, and kept alive their dream of becoming the first team ever to nail down a playoff spot after trailing by 9 games in September. Wade Davis, lowering his ERA to 4.45, went eight innings andd gave up two runs.

The Rangers won their 52nd home game and ended their home season with 2.96 million fans, both franchise records. Adrian Beltre has 10 home runs in his past 13 games and Derek Holland is 16-5, or 10-1 in his past 13 starts with a 2.77 ERA.

Jim Thome played third base for Cleveland in the ninth inning of a loss to Minnesota, for the first time since 1996. The Indians drew 1.84 million, an increase of 445,000.

Cincinnati's Dontrelle Willis won his first game since June 5, 2010, contributing a 2-run double to a 5-4 victory over Pittsburgh. Willis is hitting .400.

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